And I agree that does happen, but no more so (actually, less tbh) than the narrative and false dichotomy about you have to choose between effective winning football vs. pretty football that gets no results/trophies. Usually off the back of insulting someone(s) who have said they don't like the style of football their team plays.
We are controlling the match, if not the flow.
Well yeah that exists too, I guess. I don't know perhaps it's an age thing where some of us have seen multiple teams win titles and trophies with a more pragmatic approach than all out attack.
For me, we're doing just fine all things considered, particularly results-wise. It's early season, players are getting up to speed. But, the system is working and most importantly from a defensive standpoint. Without that critical foundation, which takes considerable work as a team, the rest is a waste of time.
I actually find it enjoyable to see us defend well as a team plus simultaneously create more chances than we need to win a game - while the opposition is forced to take risks and leave openings (despite controlling possession). There's something satisfying about seeing a team win by executing a well thought out game-plan, rather than taking a gung-ho approach or relying on themselves to have moments of individual brilliance / luck than their opponent.
To be clear, I’m delighted with how we’ve started the season, and optimistic about this season. But I do think describing our lack of fluency on the ball as growing pains is a bit odd when the same team bar Perisic was regularly putting 3,4 and 5 past teams at the end of last season. We look like our defensive organisation has taken a step forward and our attacking fluency has taken a step back
Conte didn't really have the opportunity to put his philosophy onto the players last year, and he concentrated on team shape and allowing them to play. During pre season he's focussed a lot more on the finer points of what he wants them to do as individuals and that is where the over thinking is coming into play imo. He's said numerous times that's why he hasn't been starting the new boys because they are behind the others as far as understanding these finer points he's drilling into them.
Teams don't necessarily pick up a new season from where they left off the last for a number of reasons. That's why it's always hard to judge anything much 4 games in. Look at Liverpool, Utd, Chelsea etc., I'd even look at Arsenal right now, and one good argument to make would be, shut down Odegaard in various ways and they'd look a whole lot different.
Completely 100% agree mate but tbh without being rude I just think some people might not be as tactically astute and understand the finer nuances of the game and Contes game plan etc.
Also the 3,4,5 goals were against the likes of Everton and Norwich towards the end of the season when they were both on terrible form with manager changes etc.
Someone the other day posted a 10 min vid with Conte talking about his tactics with Owen Hargreaves. For anyone that hasn't seen it, it's well worth a watch. He goes into detail about how he sets up and how it forces teams into less threatening areas thus restricting their chances to be lesser % ones.
Some of us understand completely the tactics. The point I have made in another thread is that an important part of this system is overloads when in possession, the R/LCB pushing into midfield along with the advanced wing backs. This creates overloads allowing us to cut through teams, also giving our front three more room. Without the ball this key element of Contes system is negated.
Season 1960/61
We have also scored goals galore under Conte... not the Pool/City way... but the goals have been flowing freely... and we are almost always focused and competitve... someone wrote yesterday during the Forest-game that our performances was no different to Nuno-ball... Rubbish !!!!
